Marine Chemistry最新文献

{"title":"Methane dynamics in the southeastern Arabian Sea: Patterns of distribution and annual emission estimates","authors":"K.S. Arya ,&nbsp;T.R. Gireeshkumar ,&nbsp;Mary Sandra D'cunha ,&nbsp;Mohammad Nishad T ,&nbsp;K.R. Muraleedharan ,&nbsp;V.B. Adarsh ,&nbsp;Anjana Jayaprakash","doi":"10.1016/j.marchem.2025.104588","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.marchem.2025.104588","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The production pathways and sea-to-air fluxes of climate-relevant trace gases, including methane (CH₄), in the southeastern Arabian Sea (SEAS), are poorly addressed and suffer significant uncertainties due to their spatial and seasonal heterogeneity. We measured CH₄ in five coastal-oceanic transects along the SEAS during the southwest (SWM) and northeast monsoon (NEM) seasons to understand the distribution and sea-to-air fluxes.CH₄ concentrations ranged from 3 to 151 nM (13 ± 16 nM) in SWM and from 1 to 140 nM (16 ± 38 nM) in NEM, decreasing in a gradient towards the offshore, which indicated that freshwater influx and stratification were key processes controlling the CH₄ distribution. CH₄ concentrations were positively correlated with chlorophyll-<em>a</em> and turbidity during the SWM, indicating anaerobic methanogenesis <em>via</em> micro-niches. Although globally hypoxic zones are considered a significant source of CH₄, the SEAS exhibited relatively low CH₄ levels under hypoxia, possibly due to the low organic carbon (&lt;5 %) in sediments. The sea-to-air CH₄ fluxes in the SEAS ranged from 0.1 to 278 μM m⁻² day⁻¹, and the estimated annual CH₄ emissions from the SEAS (∼0.006 Tg yr⁻¹) align with previous estimates. The global warming potential during SWM and NEM was 0.21 ± 0.45 and 0.6 ± 1.7 g CO₂ eq m⁻² day⁻¹, with net annual emissions of 0.18 Tg CO₂ yr⁻¹. The present study highlights the significance of SEAS's role as a hotspot for CH₄ release, emphasising that accurate and high-resolution measurements of climate-relevant trace gases from the marine environment are essential for improving future climate projections, global greenhouse gas budgets, and the development of mitigation strategies to achieve future climate goals.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18219,"journal":{"name":"Marine Chemistry","volume":"274 ","pages":"Article 104588"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145692279","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Determination of 14C concentration in coastal seawater of the Korean Peninsula using accelerator mass spectrometry","authors":"Min-Seok Oh ,&nbsp;Gwan-Ho Lee ,&nbsp;Weon Cheol Lim,&nbsp;Byung-Yong Yu","doi":"10.1016/j.marchem.2025.104602","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.marchem.2025.104602","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Radiocarbon (¹⁴C) in seawater is a key tracer for investigating carbon cycling and air–sea exchange. This study quantified ¹⁴C concentrations in coastal seawater from 18 sites around the Korean Peninsula using accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS). A CO₂ extraction system optimized for 100 mL seawater samples was developed, achieving 85.5 ± 0.9 % recovery efficiency validated by certified reference materials. AMS results showed fraction modern carbon (fMC) values between 0.98 and 1.03, reflecting equilibrium with atmospheric ¹⁴CO₂. The East Sea exhibited relatively high fMC and Δ¹⁴C, likely due to open-ocean circulation. The West and South Seas showed lower fMC and negative Δ¹⁴C values, influenced by restricted mixing and terrestrial inputs. Average ¹⁴C concentrations were 4.99 × 10⁻³ Bq/L (East Sea), 5.22 × 10⁻³ Bq/L (West Sea), and 4.84 × 10⁻³ Bq/L (South Sea). These findings provide a regional baseline for coastal ¹⁴C and highlight the need for depth-resolved studies to better understand carbon dynamics.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18219,"journal":{"name":"Marine Chemistry","volume":"274 ","pages":"Article 104602"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145925686","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Phosphorus speciation and C:N:P stoichiometry in particles in the East Sea (Japan Sea), Northwest Pacific","authors":"Chihyun Oh,&nbsp;Taehee Na,&nbsp;Jeomshik Hwang","doi":"10.1016/j.marchem.2025.104601","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.marchem.2025.104601","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Particulate phosphorus (P) can exist in several species, particularly in marginal seas, where sediment resuspension can affect particle fluxes. The effect of P speciation on the C:N:P stoichiometry of particulate organic matter is poorly constrained. We investigated the C:N:P stoichiometry in the East Sea (Japan Sea), which is a marginal sea in the Northwest Pacific, by analyzing sinking particles collected at water depths of 500, 1000, and 2250 m (i.e., 50 m above the seafloor), along with suspended particles in the surface waters and the underlying sediments. We measured particulate organic carbon (POC), particulate nitrogen (PN), and particulate P. The P was separated into total P (TP), organic P (OP), inorganic P (IP), non-apatite inorganic P (NAIP), and apatite P (AP) following the Standards, Measurements, and Testing (SMT) protocol of the European Commission. In addition, Al, Si, and Ca were analyzed to estimate the contents of lithogenic material, opal, and CaCO₃ in the sinking particles. The POC:PN ratio increased from 8.2 at 500 m water depth to 8.9 in the surface sediment, whereas the POC:TP and PN:TP ratios decreased from 229 and 28 at 500 m to 68 and 7.6 in the surface sediment, respectively. The IP flux exhibited a strong positive correlation with the Al flux (R² = 0.92), which is a proxy for material derived by sediment resuspension. After correction based on the content of Al, to eliminate the contribution from sediment resuspension, nearly all of the IP was accounted for by the resuspension-derived fraction, implying that sediment resuspension could be the dominant source of IP in sinking particles in a marginal sea environment. The mean biogenic (i.e., resuspension-corrected) C:N:P ratios were 238:36:1 in suspended particles in the surface water, 444:56:1, 359:45:1, 329:37:1 in sinking particles at water depths of 500, 1000, and 2250 m, respectively, and 109:12:1 in the surface sediment. The biogenic C:N:P stoichiometry suggests that surface IP is labile and subject to rapid recycling in the upper 500 m of the sea. We suggest that C:TP is an appropriate measure of the stoichiometry of biogenic particles in the upper layer, whereas C:OP is more appropriate for sinking particles affected by resuspension in the deeper interior of the sea.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18219,"journal":{"name":"Marine Chemistry","volume":"274 ","pages":"Article 104601"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145840237","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Dynamics of nutrients and organic matter and their control mechanisms at the river mouths of major Chinese rivers","authors":"Xintong Jiang ,&nbsp;Mengyu Wang ,&nbsp;Yue Ming ,&nbsp;Ailin Yao ,&nbsp;Xianye Wang ,&nbsp;Lei Gao","doi":"10.1016/j.marchem.2025.104587","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.marchem.2025.104587","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The high-intensity human activities have had a strong impact on the flux and composition of nutrients and organic matter exported from major rivers to the sea worldwide. The goal of this study was to identify the mechanisms that control the distributions and variations of terrestrial nutrients and organic matter transported from the eight major Chinese rivers to the oceans. The continuous construction of reservoirs and dams in river basins causes them to resemble reservoirs, which results in intensified fragmentation of water channels, more transparent water bodies, longer water retention times, greater retention of nutrients, and enhanced biomass and production of phytoplankton. Herein we provide a preliminary definition of “reservoir degree” (i.e., the extent to which a river channel resembles a reservoir or a lake) and offer an empirical equation to roughly quantify the reservoir degree of rivers. We collected surface water samples at the river mouths of China's eight major rivers from different seasons and measured concentrations and compositions of nutrients and organic matter in these samples. Rotated principal component analysis of our data showed that reservoir degree and pollution degree are the two most important factors determining the distributions and variations of nutrients and organic matter in these rivers. We found that the reservoir degrees were often higher in small rivers than in large rivers and in plain rivers versus mountainous rivers. As reservoirs and dams are still being constructed in all the eight river basins, the reservoir degrees of the rivers will continue to increase. Under the implementation of environmental protection projects, however, their pollution degrees would decrease. Therefore, the different biogeochemical parameters will show divergent variation trends in the future. The results of this study help clarify the control mechanisms and the future evolution trends of nutrients and organic matter transported by rivers worldwide.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18219,"journal":{"name":"Marine Chemistry","volume":"274 ","pages":"Article 104587"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145692280","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Resilience of pH to seasonal change in a large subtropical lagoonal estuary","authors":"Paco Quintana ,&nbsp;Eunice Machado ,&nbsp;Rodrigo Kerr","doi":"10.1016/j.marchem.2025.104577","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.marchem.2025.104577","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Coastal ecosystems exhibit a wide range of pH trends, from −0<em>.</em>023 to 0<em>.</em>023 pH units <em>yr</em>⁻¹, making them particularly susceptible to acidification or basification. These variations are primarily driven by ecosystem metabolism and the influence of oceanic and riverine endmembers, as observed in the subtropical system of the Patos Lagoon Estuary (PLE, southern Brazil), where biogeochemical variability is largely governed by mixing of water masses with different properties. This study provides the first quantification of the seasonal variability of pH buffering capacity in the inner and outer zones of PLE. From May 2017 to September 2023, we assessed temporal variability using multiple approaches: (i) carbonate system parameters, (ii) sensitivity factors, (iii) buffering capacity of pH to fractional change of dissolved inorganic carbon (<em>β</em>DIC), (iv) metabolic effects on pH, and (v) environmental drivers of pH. The results revealed a distinct seasonal pH pattern, especially between summer with winter and spring, with consistently higher values at the outer station compared to the inner station, though spatial differences were not statistically significant. In winter and particularly in early spring, calcium carbonate (<em>CaCO</em>₃) dissolution prevailed due to riverine input characterized by low buffering capacity. Along the salinity gradient, pH exhibited a pronounced difference, particularly between low and high salinity conditions. However, the persistent negative deviation of the metabolic effect on pH throughout the year and in salinity ranges, even under seawater conditions, supports the characterization of this coastal ecosystem as a net <em>CO</em>₂ source, with especially high variability at mid-salinity conditions. Although the salinity gradient was comparable between stations, they exhibited differences in the magnitude of pH sensitivity to seasonal biogeochemical changes. These findings indicate that PLE functions as a system with moderate to low buffering capacity, with the outer zone showing greater resilience to pH fluctuations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18219,"journal":{"name":"Marine Chemistry","volume":"274 ","pages":"Article 104577"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145622899","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A new sub-routine for the molecular component of the mixed-kinetics dissolution model of CaCO3 in seawater-like solutions","authors":"Victor W. Truesdale ,&nbsp;Jim Greenwood ,&nbsp;Tim Southern","doi":"10.1016/j.marchem.2025.104599","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.marchem.2025.104599","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>As a prelude to further understanding the dissolution kinetics of CaCO₃ in the oceanic water-column, the principles of Chemical Kinetics are applied generally to what recently was defined as the <em>solution-oriented approach</em> to CaCO₃ dissolution kinetics. The ultimate objective of the study is to probe what is known commonly as, the ‘mixed-kinetics model’ for dissolution; a sequence of molecular and diffusion reactions derived, historically, from the use of the spinning-disc reactor. As a first step, the paper shows how carbonate chemistry can be introduced into the molecular component, to generate the ions that subsequently diffuse across the hydrodynamic boundary layer surrounding the solid, into the bulk solution. The intention is to discover how control of the whole reaction shifts between molecular and diffusion components with change in stirring conditions, as that condition is a significant barrier to linking laboratory and field studies. In the interim, however, the study presents four archetypal, [Ca²⁺] versus time plots (geometric templates) that cover reactors either open or closed to CO₂, and in which pH is either fixed or variable. These plots provide a better alternative to the more common one of rate versus reaction extent, Ω, favoured in oceanography, but which has proved to be unsatisfactory. In turn, these new templates are compared with existing standard kinetics curves, for example, one from the analytic solution for a non-hydrolysing AB-salt, e.g., gypsum.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18219,"journal":{"name":"Marine Chemistry","volume":"274 ","pages":"Article 104599"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145840236","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evidence for weathering of silicate minerals in ocean columns as the primary source of oceanic alkalinity","authors":"Tasuku Akagi,&nbsp;Hirotaka Nishino","doi":"10.1016/j.marchem.2025.104603","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.marchem.2025.104603","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Based on the correlated increase of alkalinity (At) with that of silicic acid concentration [Si] in the Atlantic Ocean, the contemporaneous dissolution of carbonates and opal in the water column has been proposed as the mechanism for alkalinity production. We revisited existing datasets to examine, in greater detail, the relationship between oceanic At, [Si], total dissolved inorganic carbon (TIC) and its carbon stable isotope ratios (δ¹³C), to examine which of the two possible alkalinity sources, carbonate dissolution or silicate mineral weathering, is the most probable source of alkalinity.</div><div>We invariably find that At and [Si] are correlated and the slope ΔAt/ΔSi is almost identical for the intermediate water (2 &lt; potential temperature, <em>θ</em> &lt; 8 °C) of Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans. The At and [Si] correlation is difficult to explain by carbonate + opal dissolution, since the carbonate and biogenic opal production rates differ widely among the ocean basins.</div><div>We investigated the carbon sources from δ¹³C measurement of total dissolved inorganic carbon (TIC) in the intermediate water (2 &lt; <em>θ</em> &lt; 8 °C) and in the deeper water (<em>θ</em> &lt; 2 °C), separately. Waters characterized by the same pH are used in the investigation, since the δ¹³C of TIC generated during carbonate dissolution is constrained. In the intermediate water, the resulting data do not support the notion of carbonate dissolution as the alkalinity source, whereas in the deeper water both carbonate dissolution and silicate mineral weathering are shown as the producers of alkalinity. Carbonate dissolution only acts to relocate surface alkalinity to the deep water. We infer that dissolution of terrigenous silicate minerals within the oceans (a process we refer to as “ocean silicate weathering”) is the primary source of alkalinity in the oceans. This interpretation also explains the linear relationship between At and [Si] in the water.</div><div>Our findings do not contradict the conventional understanding of oceanic silicon cycles, if biogenic opal contains weatherable siliceous material. We previously showed that such matter is present in diatom frustules. Its uptake by fauna in deep water may provide a compelling explanation for the coupling of increases in [Si] and At. It is shown that ocean silicate weathering is a key to understanding the mechanism of CO₂ absorption by the ocean.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18219,"journal":{"name":"Marine Chemistry","volume":"274 ","pages":"Article 104603"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145925687","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Riverine turbidity overrides nutrient enrichment in regulating coastal volatile sulfur compounds cycling","authors":"Qian-Yao Ma ,&nbsp;Jun-Qi Yang ,&nbsp;Meng-Yan Yu ,&nbsp;Jiao-jiao Pang ,&nbsp;Gui-Peng Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.marchem.2025.104586","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.marchem.2025.104586","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs), including dimethyl sulfide (DMS), carbonyl sulfide (COS), and carbon disulfide (CS₂), play key roles in atmospheric chemistry and climate regulation. Riverine discharge supplies nutrients and chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) that can potentially stimulate the production of VSCs. Yet, field observations in many estuarine regions have revealed surprisingly low VSCs levels, implying that riverine enrichment alone cannot explain their variability. In this study, concentrations of DMS, COS, and CS₂ were quantified in surface waters, vertical profiles, and the overlying atmosphere of the Bohai and Yellow Seas during spring and summer 2024. Average surface concentrations of DMS, COS, and CS₂ were 6.3, 0.11, and 0.09 nmol L⁻¹ in spring, increasing to 9.7, 0.35, and 0.19 nmol L⁻¹ in summer. DMS showed strong positive correlation with chlorophyll-<em>a</em>, while COS correlated with CDOM. Riverine inputs of nutrients and CDOM from the Yellow River enhanced VSCs production, although elevated turbidity limited light availability and thus suppressed biological and photochemical pathways. Atmospheric mixing ratios in spring averaged 61.1, 408.7, and 105.5 pptv for DMS, COS, and CS₂, respectively. The estimated sea-to-air flux demonstrated that DMS was the dominant contributor to atmospheric sulfur in the study region, with fluxes of 5.4 μmol m⁻² d⁻¹ in spring and increasing to 15.0 μmol m⁻² d⁻¹ in summer. These results highlight the vital role of riverine discharge in modulating both nutrient supply and turbidity, thereby regulating the biological and photochemical pathways that control VSCs production and their subsequent sea-to-air emissions in coastal waters.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18219,"journal":{"name":"Marine Chemistry","volume":"273 ","pages":"Article 104586"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145614312","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Variations in lignin content deposited in the Congo fan and its potential for oxidative degradation","authors":"Louis C. Bondurant ,&nbsp;Megan L. Baker ,&nbsp;Sophie Hage ,&nbsp;Peter J. Talling ,&nbsp;Patrick G. Hatcher","doi":"10.1016/j.marchem.2025.104569","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.marchem.2025.104569","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The deposition of terrigenous organic carbon (tOC) in offshore deep-marine settings has traditionally been viewed as inconsequential for organic carbon burial. However, it has been shown that deep-sea sediment flows, turbidity currents, can contribute significantly to the burial of tOC. Elemental, isotopic, and molecular data were obtained on sediment samples from three areas within and adjacent to the Congo Deep-Sea Fan. The elemental, organic geochemical, and isotopic data agree well with previous studies from the Congo Fan, which show that terrigenous organic matter from the Congo River extends seaward in the axis of the submarine canyon to abyssal depths. Using advanced solid-state ¹³C NMR and TMAH thermochemolysis data we verify that a significant amount of lignin is exported to the canyon (∼14 % wt. lignin) and the distal lobe (∼16 % wt. lignin) sediments. The basin plain contains no detectable lignin but does show the presence of terrigenous long-chain fatty acids having an even carbon number predominance. Following a laboratory oxidation experiment on sediments from the distal lobe for 6 d there was an organic carbon mass loss of 59.8 % and the solid-state ¹³C NMR spectrum shows a major reduction in peaks associated with carbohydrate-like and lignin molecules and a relative increase in aliphatic molecules. This shows that terrigenous lignin molecules can be remineralized to CO₂ and/or altered to structures that no longer resemble that of lignin through oxidative degradation processes. This would have a potentially significant implication on what is traditionally viewed as autochthonous marine organic matter.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18219,"journal":{"name":"Marine Chemistry","volume":"273 ","pages":"Article 104569"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145266921","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"MNPs in marine environment: Sources, distribution, trophic transfer, toxicity, fate and the remediating role of epiplastic syntrophic microbial consortia (Biofilms)","authors":"Smarto Basak ,&nbsp;Amit Kumar Dixit ,&nbsp;Ranjit Kumar Dey ,&nbsp;Gajji Babu","doi":"10.1016/j.marchem.2025.104553","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.marchem.2025.104553","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This review focuses on plastic pollution, which has emerged as an urgent environmental issue with microplastics (MiPs) and nanoplastics (NaPs) being widespread contaminants in marine ecosystem. These particles pose serious ecological and public health risks due to their ability to bioaccumulate and vertically transfer through the food chain rapidly. Ingestion of MiPs and NaPs (MNPs) causes harmful physiological and reproductive effects, threatening the stability and integrity of marine food chains. This review summarizes the sources, distribution, trophic transfer, toxicity and fate of MNPs involving the marine ecosystem. Microbial communities have displayed potential as remediating agent for MNPs; though the processes involved in NaP degradation remain poorly understood, highlighting the need for further research. The distinctive properties of NaPs complicate their interactions with microbial communities, pointing to the necessity for focused studies on their biodegradation pathways. This review advocates for a holistic strategy that employs epiplastic syntrophic microbial consortia (Biofilm) as bioremediating agents, as their interactions may enhance breakdown of MNPs in marine setting. Future research should aim to clarify the relationships between microbial consortia and NaPs, identifying ideal conditions that foster microbial growth and activity on these NaPs. This review will be helpful for innovating effective management strategies to reduce the impacts of these established pollutants; ultimately, increasing our understanding of MNPs in marine environment, which is critical for shaping policies that safeguards the future of marine ecosystem and public health. Tackling plastic pollution requires a collaborative approach across all scientific fields, emphasizing the gravity of this global challenge.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18219,"journal":{"name":"Marine Chemistry","volume":"273 ","pages":"Article 104553"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144933632","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}